A REVOLUTIONARY “magic bullet” that kills prostate tumour cells with nuclear energy has successfully treated patients who were given only months to live.

The new treatment involves the use of a chemically engineered molecule (Image: GETTY STOCK)

The breakthrough treatment was presented at a cancer conference last week, where experts described a trial with 30 patients with prostate cancer whose disease had spread and who had been given only weeks or months to live.

Six out of 10 had either complete or partial remission after 12 months and all of them experienced very few side effects.

Following the Italian trials, experts believe that the method could be used to successfully treat early stage prostate cancers as well as other forms of cancer.

The new treatment involves the use of a chemically engineered molecule – known as a prostate specific membrane antigen – which is programmed to attach itself to prostate tumour cells.

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The molecule contains a radio active isotope – a nuclear particle. Described as being like a Trojan horse, the molecule tricks its way inside the cancer cell where nuclear energy is then released to destroy the cancer.

The technique proved so successful experts are now planning trials with patients in the early stages of the disease.

They also believe the combination therapy could be used to treat other cancers including brain tumours, thyroid cancer and kidney cancer.

Professor Giovanni Paganelli, director of nuclear biology at the European Institute of Oncology, who led the study, said: “This is a great achievement and the results are amazing.

“This is true, targeted medicine, non-toxic and effective. If it works in late stage disease it is likely to work better at an earlier stage, and this is the direction we now want to take.”

He added: “This study has shown we have a new class of drug which will really offer a concrete possibility to cure this very common disease.

“People have been afraid of the nuclear element of this form of treatment but we have shown it is safe. It is a tiny amount of nuclear energy that is delivered to the cells and is not enough to cause severe side effects.”

Larger scale studies are now being planned and experts believe the combination can destroy other cancer tumours including glioblastoma – a form of brain cancer – thyroid and kidney cancer.

Signs and symptoms of prostate cancer

Mon, November 28, 2016

Cancer of the prostate is very slow growing and many men do not show symptoms until the cancer is large enough to put pressure of the urethra. Here are the signs and symptoms of a non-cancerous enlarged prostrate and prostrate cancer.